Marie Halton, from the Actresses series (N246), Type 1, issued by Kinney Brothers to promote Sporting Extra Cigarettes 1888 - 1892

This albumen print of Marie Halton was produced by the Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company as a promotional insert for their cigarettes. It belongs to a series portraying actresses, reflecting the late 19th-century’s burgeoning culture of celebrity and mass media. The albumen process itself is fascinating: paper coated with egg white, then sensitized with silver nitrate before being exposed to a negative. This created a detailed image with subtle tonal variations. The final print was then mounted onto a card for durability. Think about the amount of labor that went into these cards. From the photographers and printers to the factory workers assembling cigarette packs, this image embodies the intersection of consumerism and artistry. The mass production of images like these democratized art, bringing images of beauty to the masses, albeit in a way deeply entwined with the marketing of tobacco. Looking closely at this humble little card challenges our notions of art, and reminds us that meaning can be found even in the most unexpected of materials and contexts.